


Unfinished Projects That Deserve To Be Seen

by the_protector_of_light



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Random Writing Dump, various POV
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25584115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_protector_of_light/pseuds/the_protector_of_light
Summary: I have so many stories that I started that I'll probably never finish-bits and pieces that I forgot about or were otherwise cast aside. These will mostly be very short, though I might compress multi-chapters into one story if I feel like it.





	1. Tartarian Asters

**Author's Note:**

> First story is a stream of consciousness about an old idea that I did recently. It's in first person present, and the story I began with it turned a completely different direction. But I feel like it flows nicely. Kingdom Hearts.

The Tatarian Asters

…

There comes a time when it’s all over, when there’s nothing left to do but reflect upon what has happened to you, what will happen next, and where your life goes from there. It is in that crossroads that I find myself deep in those thoughts when I should be doing other things with my time. My story, though, is unique compared to that of most residents in this returned and revived world. Most of them had simply been scattered across the skies—when they came back home, their home was reformed, and they had tales to tell of their journeys far and wide. They could laugh and be merry and jolly—as for myself, I had no such tales of wonder and fear—I was left all alone, with no one to count on.

Tatarian Asters, otherwise known as Forget-Me-Nots. I’ve held them dear to my heart always, but now more than ever. No matter how far I go, no matter that I’m back now, whole once again, I will never be remembered by those I passed in my journey.

Heartless. Nobody. It all merged together once I was back in one piece. It was as though none of this had ever happened. But, I do remember my time as a Dusk within the halls of the Castle That Never Was. Cleaning wasn’t so bad—at least I wasn’t out there being put in danger fighting against heartless and other foes that might cross the Organization’s path. There was never much acknowledgement. I didn’t have a name to them, simply another pawn, another drone, a servant, a slave. It was always ‘Dusk clean this, Dusk, bring me that’ and things of the like. I did them, because it wasn’t really a choice. If I didn’t, I’d be destroyed, and if I was destroyed, what then—I didn’t know what I know now, that I would be returned to whole. If I had known that, perhaps I would’ve pushed my luck.

The time there was…melancholy. They said a nobody could feel no emotions but they remembered them…perhaps that was true. All was dull and gray…nothing stood out exactly. The Organization members held on to more of their humanity than I did, and they went about their business day to day—I don’t even know what business that was. All I know is that in my time there, only one person was kind.

I retained my love of flowers in my time as a Dusk and would often be sent to procure them from other worlds. Most bouquets were simply chosen to last as long as possible. I didn’t put much care into them until she arrived. Xion, No. I. I didn’t know much about her at first. It wasn’t my business. She had no face at first, though, which did pique my curiosity a bit. Nevertheless, I kept my distance, watching, waiting. She spent a lot of time with nothing to her, her hood up at all times, nothing but her name. For a while, she said no words, simply leaving to do missions with the one named Roxas—also less demanding and demeaning. She went in and out of her room and on with her life, not noticing anything around her.

But gradually, she seemed to gain form. The hood fell, she spoke, she laughed and smiled thought they were not supposed to be able to do that. Roxas and Xion were strange like that. Still, she was pretty. And kind. She started commenting on the flowers outside her room. “Oooh, sunflowers!” she might say. “I like the roses.”

“Who puts these here?” she asked Axel one day.

“Eh? I dunno. One of the Dusks maybe.” He had shrugged. “Who cares? I don’t know why they’re here. They just are.”

Then one day, she said it— “Thank you for keeping things clean!” she said with a smile to me as I swept. From then on, I put the prettiest flowers outside her room. I didn’t always see her, but I hoped they made her smile. Someone knew I existed as I did then.

One day, on my journey out to Corona for flowers, I came across them—Tatarian Asters. Shion. I’ll never forget you. I thought it was a nice gesture, so I placed them in front of her room, not knowing when she’d return, but hoping she’d be happy with them.

Then Saix sent all the Dusks to fight off an intruder. Including me.

And I fell in battle.

But, I hope she knew that I’d never forget her. I never did.


	2. Untitle Ventus and Vanitas Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the way back from last May (2019 man). Probably will never continue it, but here it is.

Vanitas/Ventus thing

Chapter 1

Vanitas

Vanitas looked around. Typical. He had expected to go away, fade into the darkness, when he was once again defeated by Ventus, but it seemed he wasn’t so lucky this time. No brief respite to be ended by Master Xehanort’s meddling, just pure and unadulterated pain and suffering. That’s all he was. The humiliation of defeat ran a fiery flow through his heart—well, what little of a heart he ever had, anyway.

Sora had tried to talk some sense into him as he faded. Ventus, on the other hand, had accepted his desire to simply fade into the darkness that he had come from. Typical; all ‘Ventus’ cared about was control, and he would always have control if Vanitas was gone. It wasn’t fair.

But here he was, in the Keyblade Graveyard, among the ruins that had emerged before the great final battle, disoriented and confused as to why he was here at all. He looked down at his hands. He was still clothed in his black coat, but he could tell from his undistorted vision that he was not wearing his helmet, instead wearing that face that didn’t belong to him.

“Why?!?” he screamed into the sky, feeling the Unversed emerging from within his spirit and spawning into reality. “Why couldn’t I just die?”

Now here he stood, all alone, and he didn’t want to be anywhere else, anywhere at all, if he couldn’t be where he belonged. And he couldn’t. He would never have his body; it would always belong to the other half. Vanitas would never be Ventus, and though the current Ventus seemed quite satisfied with being incomplete, Vanitas would rather not exist than exist in this terrible state. He was darkness, no light; he could only feel pain and hatred, no joy or love. And here he was, back where his nightmare had begun all those years ago, where he thought it had ended twice but no such luck.

He sank to the ground with a dull laugh. “What am I going to do now?” he pondered. “I suppose I’ll sit here and starve; wonder what kind of Unversed that will create.”

He sighed and lay back on the ground, staring up at the dark sky. This was it. His curse, his existence…all alone in the world, and not Ventus.

Ventus had his body back. Ventus had his life back. Now there was nothing left for Vanitas to covet, no life of his own…

Only darkness, and pain. Sora had said they had a choice. He had tried to make his, and he had failed.

“Typical,” Vanitas repeated in disgust. “I can never get my way.”

(Ventus)

Ventus awoke with a start in his room at the Land of Departure. He sat straight up, gasping for air as he felt a hollow anger set into his heart. He knew this feeling. “Vanitas…”

Vanitas was back, and he was in pain.

He hadn’t always felt this connection to Vanitas; on the contrary, he wasn’t sure he ever had before, even in the last battle at the Keyblade Graveyard. But he knew in the back of his mind that this feeling was Vanitas. Vanitas hadn’t been there, and now he was…somewhere out there, he existed once more, suffering, probably waiting for his chance to swoop in and create some chaos to try to gain some semblance of enjoyment.

But…there was something that happened that day, something that had changed his mind. He had accepted Vanitas’s choice to die, ignoring Sora’s protests. But now…he had decided that if he returned, he would help him. He never thought he would return, though, not when it took months before any sign arose.

He looked out the window at the starry sky above his home world. There was so much he didn’t know, so much he didn’t remember. He wanted to know the truth…and he never would without Vanitas.

Ventus turned and got off the bed. He should tell Aqua and Terra where he was going, but he knew they would try to stop him. He needed to go out and find Vanitas, and it made sense to go now, while no one else was awake to prevent him leaving.

“Where are you going?” Chirithy asked from the corner of the room. The strange spirit had made itself at home here since he had discovered it, but it didn’t often voice its opinions.

Ventus smiled. “I need to find someone.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Ventus nodded. “I have to.”

“Okay then. Just be careful, okay?” Chirithy said. “I’ll be watching!”

“Right.” Ventus headed out of his room and quietly though the halls to the outside of the castle before leaving into the night on his glider.

It was more than just wanting Vanitas to have a chance; no, Ven was greedier than that. If Vanitas was back, he would probably only cause trouble. There was no reason to think he’d come willingly to their side, no matter how much Ven might talk and talk…

But Ventus had to know—what did _Vanitas_ know? Ven could only remember so much…until the Land of Departure first fell, he hadn’t known of his time with Xehanort before he had arrived there under Master Eraqus’s care…but there was more missing, more hidden beneath the surface…what had happened before? It was like one day, Ventus was simply there being tormented by Xehanort to make the X-Blade, trained and trained and taunted…but why did Xehanort know he could make it? What do Xehanort know that Ven did not?

…And did Vanitas have the answer to that question?

(Vanitas)

Vanitas walked through the deserted land surrounding him. He had wandered out of the ruins that Xehanort had conjured from the sands and out into the open areas around, looking for any sign of anything else. This was boring. Perhaps starving wasn’t the best option after all. Sure the suffering would make interesting unversed, but…why bother?

Xehanort wasn’t there anymore. There was no one to force him to suffer—well, other than Ventus, by simply existing, but he supposed it wasn’t his fault…no, it was all Xehanort. Vanitas wished he had the guts back then to simply crush his face in when he was brought back rather than fearing the consequences. He’d be better off if he had been killed, anyway.

Vanitas sighed and kicked the ground. Xehanort…He should’ve been the one to end him. He shouldn’t have helped him. He didn’t care for the light…he didn’t mind fading into darkness…but why was he so obedient? He felt the pain of unversed tearing from his soul and their pieces emerging outside his body; the hatred he felt was misplaced, as there was no one to take revenge on.

“Heheheh, Ventus…” Vanitas breathed through the pain. “If only you knew what this felt like…”

But he couldn’t. He would never be tormented by the memories of pain. He would never go through what Vanitas had with Xehanort…and he would never feel as empty. He had friends. Vanitas only had memories of such, faint and fleeting…glimpses of joy that were overwhelmed by the pain…the only fragments of the past that remained were the suffering from the first Keyblade war, what had happened, what they had done to the girl to get the book…all for friends, all for a chance of salvation, and what came of it? Eventually…Vanitas had.

Vanitas looked around at the unversed around him, furious at the memories…but for once, his irritation wasn’t enough to shove him over the edge and destroy his creations. There was something about these ones…though they seethed hatred, there was something else…an edge of…sorrow. Loneliness. Grief. There always was…but this time, it was enough to let them be.

Vanitas sat down on the ground as he watched the unversed disperse throughout the land, and a timid Flood approached him cautiously. Vanitas didn’t even look its direction, staring directly at the ground. It came over and curled up in his lap.

Funny creatures, Floods. Made from baser emotions, they had a tender touch. This one had just a little bit more loneliness and could tell he did too.

Ah well. At least he had company. He did not harm the creature, but he did not touch it with a hand, either—Vanitas feared he would harm it if he tried.

“Well…this sucks…” He would stay here, waiting for his moment…the moment it all would end. Surely it would, one day.

(Ventus)

Ven wasn’t surprised to be drawn to the Keyblade Graveyard. It was where they last fought, after all. None of the others had been here since the final battle, leaving it to the Heartless to rot. Ven didn’t see too many heartless around, though…he saw other creatures, even more familiar.

Unversed. Vanitas must be here.

Ven landed his glider in front of a canyon, shifting it back to his Keyblade. He left it summoned as he headed through the cavern—it was stupid being here on his own…but he wasn’t on his own. Though, he doubted Vanitas would help him in any way if it came up.

He passed Unversed, expecting them to attack viciously as always, but instead they ignored him, going on as if they had their own purposes to fulfil that didn’t include harming him. Ven decided to let them be…

When he walked to the other side of the cavern, in the middle of an open valley, Vanitas sat on the ground.

(Vanitas)

The Flood stirred on Vanitas’s lap and jumped up before rushing off. “Bye,” he muttered as he watched it go. Then he realized it had been scared off by something as he heard footsteps. Vanitas sighed and looked over his shoulder. Whoever was here was either stupid or up to no good.

Ah. Just stupid.

“What do you want?” Vanitas growled, standing up. “Come back for a rematch? You won, idiot.”

“Vanitas…” Ventus said, slowly raising a hand as he approached; not completely stupid, his Keyblade was in the opposite.

Vanitas took a step back. “What did you come here for?” he repeated.

Ventus sighed and lowered his hand, sending away his Keyblade. “To talk.”

“To talk?”

“Yes. To talk.”

Vanitas raised an eyebrow. “Oh, did _Sora_ convince you to come talk to me, try to convince me to change my ways?”

Ventus clenched his teeth. “Sora’s gone. He has nothing to do with this.”

Vanitas froze. “Gone?” His heart raced at the thought. What had the old bastard done to him? Vanitas didn’t usually root for the good guys, but Sora…there was something that always made him waver—it made him sick, but he always felt like he should _protect_ him.

“That doesn’t matter,” Ventus said. “That’s not what I’m here to talk about. None of it is.”

Vanitas stared for a moment before scoffing. “Whatever. Not like I have anything better to do.”

“Really?” Ventus said in surprise.

“Sure. You scared off the closest thing I had to company.”

“What?”

“The Flood that ran as you came up.”

“Oh…sorry.” Ventus rubbed the back of his head.

“What do you want, Ventus?”

“Just…” He looked away for a moment. “What do _you_ want, Vanitas?”

“To be gone. To be a part of you, or not exist at all,” Vanitas answered honestly

“To—to be a part of me?” Ventus said in surprise.

“I’m a part of you, Ventus—or I’d rather say you’re a part of me. I’m Ventus as much as you are. The old bastard just gave me a different name to make things simpler for him.” Vanitas studied Ventus. “What, did you think I _really_ wanted to forge the X-Blade? I just wanted us to be together again…and we never will be.”

Ventus frowned. “You’re right. We won’t be.” He looked into Vanitas’s eyes. “But you know, you don’t have to _just_ be a part of me.”

“Oh, here we go. The Sora talk.” Vanitas felt something rub up against his leg and looked down; the Flood had returned and was tugging on his leg, eyes narrow. He could feel its wariness. It was afraid for him. Vanitas took a deep breath and stared back and Ventus. “Whatever. I hope that’s not really why you’re here.”

“It’s not.” Ventus studied the Flood curiously, as if fascinated by the way it was acting. “What are those things, anyway?”

“Floods? Unversed?” Vanitas scoffed. “What do you care?”

“It’s just…these ones aren’t like the old ones.”

“Maybe not to you,” Vanitas replied. “No reason to make them go after anyone now.”

“I know you control them, but I thought they were puppets.”

Vanitas hissed. How dare he think he’d make something a puppet like the old bastard made him. Still, he chose to humor Ventus. “As much a part of me as I am of you,” Vanitas replied. “They come from my…emotions. Yes, they do as I will, but they aren’t puppets…”

“Your emotions?”

“Pain. Hatred. Sorrow. Loneliness…the few things I’m able to feel,” Vanitas replied. He looked down at the Flood tugging as his leg, and carefully bend over and picked it up, as gently as he could. It scrambled up his arms and onto his shoulders. He was startled, but he didn’t want to let it show to Ventus of all people. “They feel what I feel. I feel what they feel.”

“Wait…what happens when they’re destroyed—”

“I think you are smart enough to figure that one out on your own.” The Flood seemed to have made itself quite comfortable on his shoulder. Vanitas felt himself relaxing.

“I’m…I’m sorry…” Ventus said.

“I don’t need your pity.”

“Still…”

“Is that all you came for?”

“No…” Ventus shook his head. “I wanted to know if you remembered—remembered before we trained under Xehanort.”

Vanitas pursed his lips. “Only things you wouldn’t want to know.”

“So you _do_.” Ventus’s face lit up. “Can you—can you tell me?”

“No. Those memories are mine. You can’t have them.”

“What?”

“You didn’t care enough about them to remember them. Why should you remember them now?” Vanitas smirked. “I don’t even remember the good things, but at least I cared enough to remember the bad.”

Ventus looked troubled. “Oh…” He looked away. “Vanitas, let’s…let get those memories back.”

“Why do you care all the sudden?” Vanitas asked.

“Chirithy.”

“Chirithy…?” Vanitas’s eyes widened. “What about them?”

“They’re…they’re back home. But I don’t know anything about them…they know me, though.”

Vanitas sighed and looked away. “Of course you don’t. Never cared about your friends until you had me torn away.”

“Hey—”

“What, it’s not like you know any different.”

Ventus scowled. Vanitas felt the Flood tense before his own heartbeat increased at the expression. He put his hand in front of it as it shivered. “Come with me, Vanitas,” Ventus suggested. “At least come and talk to Chirithy.”

Vanitas frowned. He didn’t have anything better to do. “Only if I can bring this guy.”

“What?”

“He cared enough to come back. That’s better than most.”

“…Of course,” Ventus said.

“Alright then, Ventus—let’s get this show on the road.”

(Ven)

“Who are you?” Chirithy asked as Ven led Vanitas into the room. Ven had to sneak them in—he thought that Aqua and Terra would be reasonable if they met him again, but he wasn’t sure, and he didn’t want to be interrupted.

Vanitas studied the spirit closely, and a strange expression crossed his face—a sadness, but not just sadness—a bittersweet feeling, perhaps. A small smile entered his expression, not a forced, taunting smirk. Vanitas said nothing, instead crossing to the other side of the room to lean against the wall, the Flood on his shoulder rubbing against his head in a comforting manner. Vanitas flinched at the touch but didn’t move otherwise.

Ven looked at Chirithy. “This is Vanitas,” he said. “He’s…he the dark half of my heart.”

Chirithy studied Vanitas warily. It was clear they didn’t trust him. “Vanitas, huh?” they said after a moment.

“Hey Chirithy,” Vanitas said softly, looking away. “I guess you wouldn’t recognize me, would you?”

“You—you remember me?” Chirithy perked up. “I’m sorry,” Chirithy apologized. “It’s just that—you don’t look like Ven here…and…”

“I get it,” Vanitas said. He said nothing more.

Chirithy waddled over to Vanitas to look at him closer. The Flood seemed scared, hiding its face in Vanitas’s shoulder. If it was from Vanitas…why was it so afraid all the time? Why was Vanitas frightened by everything, even something as nonthreatening as Chirithy?

Vanitas glanced down at Chirithy, staring blankly. “I don’t know why Ventus brought me here.”

Chirithy glanced at Ven questioningly. Ven smiled. “He remembers you,” he told Chirithy. “I know you’re so sad that I don’t, but you won’t explain…”

“I don’t care what he wants to remember—he didn’t care enough about those memories to keep them,” Vanitas said. “But…I don’t think the terrible things I remember are all that happened.”

“Terrible things?” Chirithy asked, alarmed. “But those are—that’s what was—”

“Supposed to be erased. All of it. Right?” Vanitas noted. “But you see, memories never really go away. They linger, right under the surface. In a dark corner of the heart—that’s me.”

Chirithy looked away. “It wasn’t my idea…”

“I know. It was ours, when we were together,” Vanitas replied. “Sent into the future to prevent the darkness from winning, we decided it was easier—safer, even—to cast aside memories of the past that might give us away.”

Ven tilted his head. “What…? I don’t remember…because I didn’t want to?”

“You cared more about your well-being than remembering what happened to all your friends…” Vanitas replied. “But you see, I care more than you—I’m better than you in one way at least.” Vanitas looked away. “Friends…”

Ven blinked.

_“It’s always about your friends, isn’t it?”_

_“At least I have some!”_

How could he have said something so cruel to Vanitas. He had hated him in that moment, though the wanted to steal his life away…

Vanitas just wanted to go back.

Vanitas just wanted to be together.

“Vanitas…” Ven breathed.

“I don’t need your pity,” Vanitas replied. He looked at Ven. “Join with me. Let’s be together again. Then, maybe we can both remember everything…” He held out a hand.

Ven recoiled. “No way!”

Vanitas lowered his hand. “Worth a shot.”

Chirithy looked frantically between the two of them. “You don’t need to remember. You have a life now! And…”

“ _He_ has a life now,” Vanitas replied, standing from where he leaned. “Whatever. I’ve got better things to do than sit here.”

“Vanitas…where else would you go?” Ven asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied, “but I’m not wanted here.”

“Who told you that?” Ven argued.

“No way, right?”

“Just because I don’t want to join with you doesn’t mean I’m going to kick you back out to the Keyblade Graveyard!”

Vanitas smirked—a look that Ven could somehow _feel_ was hiding sadness and disgust. “Typical,” he said. “You want to be my ‘friend’ now. Well, buzz off. I don’t need your pity, and it’s all that it is. Up until a few hours ago, you hated my guts.” The Flood tugged at Vanitas’s hair. Vanitas didn’t even seem to notice. “I don’t need anyone.”

Ven crossed his arms. “Vanitas…We can still be together…you don’t have to be alone anymore.”

(Vanitas)

“Maybe I want to be alone,” Vanitas lied. This pity was painful. He didn’t want to see it, to feel it.

“I know that you don’t.”

“Shut up! What do you know?” Vanitas shook his head, though he stopped when he felt the Flood grab onto his hair so as to not fall off his shoulder.

“I know that I’ve done nothing but hurt you, yet you still want to be a part of me,” Ventus said. “If you wanted to be alone, you wouldn’t admit to such a thing.”

Vanitas clenched his teeth. He was right…how did he know? Why did he look so…so gentle? They were enemies, according to Ventus. According to Ventus, they had never been anything else. But…Vanitas didn’t want to leave…he’d never get what he really wanted.

“Let’s compromise,” Ventus said.

“Compromise?” Vanitas asked in disbelief.

“You can stay around here, and we can be together…you can meet my friends.”

“Don’t you get it? Unlike you, I’m _nothing_ ,” Vanitas growled.

“Then why is that Flood so afraid?”

Vanitas froze and felt the Flood unbury itself from his hair to glare at Ventus. Vanitas looked away. “I’m not scared of you,” Vanitas replied simply.

“I…I didn’t say you were.” Ventus tilted his head. “But you’re scared of something.”

He was scared…that was why the Flood was here, why he was tolerating its company, why he hadn’t told Ventus to go to hell back in the Keyblade Graveyard…he was scared of being alone. But…he’d never tell Ventus that. He had to leave. But the Flood pawed at his head…

Vanitas sighed. “Fine. Compromise.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Ventus. Really.”

“Call me Ven,” Ventus requested.

“Sure. Whatever.” Vanitas crouched down and held out his arm for the Flood to climb down. It rubbed up against his head before it did, and it headed into a dark corner.

“You should give that thing a name,” Ven suggested.

Vanitas scoffed. “It’s just a Flood.”

“Yeah, well, it seems to prove that you care about something, even if it is just yourself.”

Vanitas shook his head. “You name it.”

Ven grinned—a look that made Vanitas uneasy. “I’ll call it…Sam.”

“Sam.”

“Yes. Sam.”

“Whatever.” Vanitas rolled his eyes and glanced over at where the Flood—Sam—had gone. It still hid under a chair. “I doubt it’ll stay for long.”

“It stayed for this long.” Ven blinked. “Oh! I should figure out a room for you.”

“That would be smart,” Vanitas replied. “But first you should check with your friends and make sure they aren’t going to kill me.”

“They wouldn’t!”

“They’ve tried before.”

Ven frowned. “I’ll go talk to them.” He headed out the door.

Chirithy looked up at Vanitas. “What do you remember?”

“The bad,” Vanitas replied simply. He didn’t care to go into further detail.

Chirithy nodded. “Right…That’s not really fair, is it?”

“Life isn’t fair.” Vanitas shook his head.

“It can be,” Chirithy said, “if you let it.”


	3. Brothers AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From last year. Strange AU that came in a dream. Sora was taken to another world when he disappeared and three clones were created. Other Keyblade Masters come to find him. Clones fight them, then one takes them to see Sora, who is held in a stasis in a test tube. Somehow, Kingdom Hearts is summoned. I didn't know how to end it. It was stupid but fun. You might like it.

Brothers

(Demi)

Locked in a room again—might as well be a cage, as lined with metal as it was, meant to block his magic. Demi looked around slowly, scowling. This was his life. Being the oldest, this was where he was now, nothing but a pawn, not trusted to do anything right—but he followed orders. What could would it do to do otherwise? Maybe if he kept following them, maybe they would trust him, and then maybe he would be free—or at least closer.

He envied his brothers. Aero, the golden child, the testing they did on him far less extreme, not pushing his endurance beyond the limit, not locking him away until the next time he was needed. Aero got to roam as he pleased, so long as he had a tracking device and came to their beck and call. Echo, the youngest, who was still in training. Not as free as Aero, and he probably wouldn’t be. He was even stronger than him, who they kept in a cage. Echo would be locked away just the same.

At least these people—they were never told a name—these people who created them of the same DNA, let them get together, see each other, be a family. Their lives were very different, but Demi loved to hear about his brothers’ days. To hear about freedom. He never told them what went on with him—what was the point in upsetting them? But Aero knew. Demi liked to think that Echo was just naïve enough to overlook it, but he wasn’t stupid, and that naiveite was dangerous.

There was a clang and the door to his cell rolled open. A guard stood within the doorway. “Your brothers are here,” he said with a smile—a _smile._ Like he wasn’t stuck in a cage, like it was just a visit from family that he could see any time. Demi nodded and stood up, slowly heading out the door and into the open hall.

He made his way into the chamber where they always visited when they weren’t on missions. Echo and Aero were chattering to each other—Aero and Demi were several years older than Echo, who was still but a child. Well, preteen, but still…

“Demi!” Echo said cheerfully as Demi walked into the room. Demi couldn’t help but smile back.

“What’s up?” Demi asked, sitting down in one of the chairs that surrounded the circular table.

Aero said, “I met another clone. Don’t know why they didn’t put him with us.”

“One of their experiments, I’m sure,” Demi said.

“It was so strange, too,” Aero said. “He…he looked just like me, so he had to be one of us, but…he was out on the street with the humans, and he looked shocked to see me. He started to come over, but I knew I wasn’t supposed to be seen, so I hurried off.”

“With the humans?” Demi scoffed. “That’s got to be boring.”

“I don’t know,” Echo said. “I met a human once.”

Demi and Aero froze and looked at Echo. “What?” Aero breathed.

“Yeah. He was kind of weird. Acted like he’d seen a ghost when he saw me, but he tried to talk to me. He called me Sora.” Echo shrugged. “He asked me to come with him, but I knew I’d get in trouble even just for talking to him, so I said no and left.”

Demi sighed in relief. “Good. I’m glad you’re not quite that stupid.”

Aero nodded. “Humans are dangerous to us. If they knew we were—whatever we are—they would find us and kill us all.”

Demi paused. Demi was called Clone 1.1; Aero, 1.2; and Echo, 1.3. Copied from the same model—Echo the perfect copy. Well, nearly perfect. Not even he could summon a Keyblade. But he looked exactly like Sora—the one they came from.

Demi looked the most like Sora, because of age—the only difference was his black hair instead of brown, and his eyes shifting between red and yellow depending on his magic use. Aero…looked nothing like the original, much to everyone’s confusion, but he came closest to summoning a Keyblade and was kept. Luckily they didn’t throw anyone out. Echo was created many years later, and was the spitting image of Sora—at least, one could presume, because he shared Demi’s characteristics from that age other than brown hair and blue eyes.

Echo paused. “Hey…let’s go see Sora today.”

“Why?” Demi asked. “He’s just a body in a test tube. Nothing there at all, only alive physically until they’re done with him.”

Echo looked down. “You’re right…it’s silly.”

Aero nodded. “No point to it. I mean, we went when we were your age, so I get it, but…” Aero shrugged. “It’s not like he’s lonely.”

“True…” Echo agreed. “And I mean, she’d be there, and I don’t like her.”

“No one does,” Aero said.

She wanted to be called ‘Mom’, but they only called her ‘Professor’. They didn’t care to know her real name—no one here did. Employees and her colleagues didn’t even enjoy her company, but she was in charge of the project, so they couldn’t do anything.

Echo sighed. “I don’t want to meet a human again,” he said. “It made me uncomfortable. I mean, if they found out…”

“And they knew Sora’s name,” Demi said. “That means they’re probably looking for him.”

“But how? He’s from a different world?” Aero mused.

Demi paused. “They’ll send us after him if they find out.”

Aero nodded and swallowed. “Let’s hope not.”

They’d been on many ‘missions’ before, but never had they truly had to defend their world from intruders. But if this person was from Sora’s world, they could have a Keyblade…could they defeat them?

Demi smirked. “We could take ‘im.”

“Yeah!” Echo agreed.

Aero shrugged. “I guess.”

“Hello, my angels,” the Professor said as she came into the room.

“Professor,” Demi greeted.

“Oh, please call me Mom, you know I hate it when you call me professor.”

Aero forced a grin. “Hi…Mom…What brings you to interrupt our meeting?”

“Oh, I do apologize for that,” she said. “But I’ve heard that there are intruders in this world.”

“Intruders?” Demi asked, mocking that he didn’t know.

“Yes. From another world. Two of them.” She paused. “So, I’m sending you all out to look for them.”

“Echo too?” Aero asked worriedly.

“He’s ready. Aren’t you, sweet pea?”

“I am ready,” Echo agreed, though nearly cringing at the nickname.

“See? It’ll be okay.” She smiled. “You three will split up and search the city discreetly.”

“What do they look like?” Aero asked.

She pulled two pictures up on a monitor. “Got it?”

“Yep!” Echo said cheerfully.

“Great!” She smiled again and stepped back. “I’m so sorry to interrupt your visit, but this is an issue of upmost importance.”

“Yeah. Of course,” Demi said.

“Head out, then.”

“Of course.”

Echo cheerfully dashed toward the door. Demi grabbed his arm for two reasons—first, to slow him down, and second, the place a tracking spell. He glanced over at Aero to see if he had noticed. Aero nodded.

(Professor)

“Ah Sora, the picture of perfection,” the Professor said, regarding the tube that held him. “Echo’s power levels are higher than yours.” She paused. “Too bad I had to make you go night-night when you wouldn’t help me. But…clones are more useful anyway. I have three of you now.”

The professor walked over to the computers. “If you’d just have helped me summon Kingdom Hearts with that Keyblade of yours…I saw that power, once, and I wanted it for my own…This world would be the beginning and end.” She slammed her fists on the desk. “If only they could have blasted Keyblades. Two should have been enough, but no. None of them can.” She sighed. “But they do their best. And Echo is still young.”

She sighed. “Yes, it’ll all work out.” She looked up at Sora. “And maybe then I can set you free.”

The professor heard steps behind her.

“Professor?” the new intern asked.

She turned around to face her—a fairly non-descript girl. Wouldn’t be worth learning her name. She’d be gone soon. “Yes?” she asked.

“It’s about the Clones…” she said. “I’m working on studying Echo’s magic levels for you, and I noticed a pattern…when he’s with the others, they raise temporarily.”

“Well of course. They all do,” the professor said. “Family and friends keep the heart strong. The bonds of love tie them together and make them nearly invincible.”

“Bonds of love?” The intern looked puzzled. “That’s…interesting.”

“You think I’m crazy, but you just told me your studies prove it,” the professor said. “Keep them together, keep them happy…then they won’t turn against us.”

“Oh…” the intern looked down. “I think it’s nice that you let them be brothers.”

“They are people, same as us. Just not human. They have hearts and souls of their own. Their genetics just happen to match someone else’s.”

“Yeah. Sora there…” She shook her head, looking spooked. They all did at first. Seeing someone being kept alive only by a stasis was unsettling.

“Well, go on about your business,” the professor said cheerfully. “They’re out on a mission, but they’ll be back soon.”

(Echo)

This was so cool! Echo had been on little missions before, but to be trusted with something this important—the Professor must really be impressed by his training. She said he was almost as strong as Demi—that she could only imagine how strong he’d be when he was older. But…Echo wasn’t so sure how to use all his powers. It kind of just happened, like a dice roll. He could see Aero’s hesitation, but…

The city below was beautiful. The anti-gravity spell that they used to fly was very handy. Luckily he had gotten the hang of that one years ago. Skyscrapers and swirling pillars raised high into the air, and he flew just out of sight.

He didn’t know how he’d find these people—a needle in a haystack. Thousands of people in the city. He’d just have to scan for the faces in the timelines of the buildings he passed; maybe that would give a road map…

He paused, lowering himself onto a building to rest. Flying made him woozy sometimes…

He loved the sights and sounds of the city, but he didn’t get to go very often. Part of him wanted to draw out this mission, spend as much time as possible out in the fresh air, but—

“Sora.”

Echo whipped around, raising his hand and seeing it engulfed in sky blue energy. The man from a few days earlier came out of the shadows—silver hair down his back, fair skin, clad in clothing very strange to Echo…The intruder.

“Who are you?” Echo asked slowly.

“Sora, what have they done to you?”

“I’m not—” Echo paused. He was just as good as Sora.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“No way!” Echo looked around frantically. They had been told to ‘find’ them, not capture them, not approach them… Echo wasn’t so sure about this.

He turned to run but was grabbed in a bear hug from behind. “Come on!”

“I’m not Sora! I’m not!” Echo said. He didn’t want to hurt this person, but he knew he had to get away, somehow. “I’m not Sora!” he repeated, struggling against the person’s arms.

The human faltered and Echo managed to get out of his arms, breathing hard. He held out his hand, focusing energy into it. “Stay away from me,” he growled.

“Sora?”

“I’m not Sora! I’m better than Sora!”

The man stopped. “You’re not Sora.”

“Yeah!”

“Do you know where he is?”

“Like I’d tell you. You’re the bad guy.”

“I’m the bad guy?”

“Intruder from another world.” Echo started to lower his hand, but when the man moved, he raised it again. “Don’t move.”

Shooting down from the sky came two familiar shapes. “Leave him alone!” Aero snapped. Demi rushed forward, grabbed Echo’s arm, and shoved him behind him.

Aero and Demi looked at each other briefly before raising their hands toward the man.

Echo shoved his way beside them. “Aero. Demi. Thanks, guys.”

“Stay back, Echo. You don’t know how dangerous this guy is.” Aero said.

“Do you?”

“You all look like Sora…” the man said slowly, “and of course, that means you look like the others, too. But you’re not…” He shook his head. “Where is Sora?” he demanded.

“Sora?” Aero breathed.

Demi shook his head. “What are we waiting for? He’s one of the intruders.”

“Hey, where’s the other guy, anyway?” Echo chimed in from in between.

“Let’s capture him,” Demi suggested. “Maybe the other one will come after him.”

The man held out his hand. In a burst of light—

“A Keyblade?!?” Echo gawked.

“Twenty years. That’s how long we’ve been looking for Sora. We knew his heart was still around.” The man raised his sword. “You will take me to him.”

Aero took a step back. “Oh no. This is outside our territory.”

Demi scoffed. “Just how strong is a Keyblade, anyway? Surely not as strong as us.”

Echo nodded. “Right!” He held out his hand again.

“Echo, go home and warn base,” Aero said. 

“You go home, if you’re so scared.”

“Listen to me, Echo, we don’t—”

Echo felt himself being wrapped in something, and when he looked down, he was surrounded in chains of light. He screamed as he struggled. He was pulled toward the man.

“Echo!” Demi gasped.

“You’ll take me to Sora,” the man reiterated.

Demi lunged forward, hands surrounded in their red magic aura—the death spell… “Demi, don’t!” Echo cried.

“You’re in no position to tell me what to do!” But the aura shifted to yellow, simple damage, as he tackled the man to the ground and tried to yank the Keyblade from his hands.

Echo knew the protocol—disarm and attempt capture before harm. Today they weren’t even supposed to engage. Aero rushed by the struggled to get to Echo.

The man rolled away from Demi and leapt to his feet, rubbing the burns on his arms. “What the hell kind of magic is that?”

“Let Echo go.” Demi demanded.

“Take me to Sora.”

“This is your last warning. Let. Echo. Go.”

The man pointed his Keyblade at Demi.

“No!” Echo screamed. The chains shattered, and he jumped on top of the man, snatching the Keyblade from his hand unexpectedly.

“Echo!” Demi grabbed Echo around the waist and shoved him behind him.

The man held out his hand and pulled the Keyblade back to him.

But Echo held his hand back out, like reflex, and in a burst of light…a Keyblade: an ornate key, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

“Echo, you did it!” Aero cheered as he rushed beside him.

The man shook his head. “I’m not fighting a kid.”

“I’m not a kid!”

“You kind of are,” Aero said.

“Riku!”

The man—Riku, turned his head. Behind him ran up a red-haired girl. “Kairi.”

The girl summoned a Keyblade too. “Roxas is on the way. He’s calling the others.”

“I think it’s time to retreat…” Aero said, gesturing.

“Oh, come on, I finally summon a Keyblade and I don’t even get to use it?”

Demi shook his head. “Go, you two,” he said. “I’ll bring up the rear…”

“But Demi!” Echo argued.

Aero grabbed Echo’s arm. “He knows what he’s doing.” Aero glanced at Demi. “Be careful. If you’re not back in twenty minutes I’m coming back.”

“We both are!”

Demi waved them off.

Aero tugged Echo into the air before Echo followed suit.

(Demi)

Demi didn’t take his eyes off this ‘Riku’ and ‘Kairi’. He knew when the others were gone.

“So,” he said. “You want to know where Sora is.” He lowered his arms. “You know _who_ Sora is.”

Kairi slowly lowered her weapon. “Yes. We do.”

“When we were little, we were told that ‘Sora’ was a being from another world that was found nearly dead twenty years ago. He was unable to wake…”

“What?” Riku snapped.

“Listen, if you want to go see the vegetable, I’ll take you there. Under one condition.”

“…Condition?”

“Set us free.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t want to live in a cell anymore—I don’t want Echo to have to. I don’t want Aero to have to hide.” Demi shook his head. “So, I’ll take you to Sora—and you’ll take down the compound. You have Keyblades, it should be simple.”

“If it’s so simple, why haven’t you done it?”

“Our powers do not work within the facility. And, well…Aero and Echo don’t want out so far as I know. And I don’t want to be the bad guy.”

“Okay,” Kairi said.

“Okay?” Riku argued.

She pulled a device from her pocket and tapped on some keys. “I told Roxas the plan. When the others get here, they’ll help. Shouldn’t take long.”

Demi smiled. “Great. You’ll come with me. I’ll take you to Sora. And if we get caught, I’ll say you’re prisoners.”

Riku looked at Kairi, who nodded. “I feel his heart. Don’t you?”

Riku sighed. “We’ll go.”

(Aero)

Demi was up to something, and he knew it. He just didn’t know what, whether it was good or bad, or why.

“Hey, how’d you end up there, anyway? I had it handled!” Echo protested, shaking his fist as they entered the compound.

“No you didn’t,” Aero disagreed. “The guy had you cornered.”

“I just hadn’t blasted him yet.” Echo shook his head. “Still…where you following me? I thought we were supposed to split up.

“We were, but…” Aero looked down. “We were worried, okay? We didn’t follow you, but…”

“Tracking spell?” Echo snapped. “Isn’t this thing around my ankle bad enough?”

“…Sorry Echo. But you were in trouble.”

Echo crossed his arms. “Was not.”

“Echo. It’s over with.” Aero shook his head. “We need to tell the professor about these people with Keyblades. Three of them, not two.”

“And they said something about ‘the others’…”

“Is this a full-on invasion?” Aero pondered. “Surely not.”

“There’s no time to tell the professor! We need to go back and stop them before they can call their friends!” Echo said hurriedly.

Aero paused, grabbed Echo’s shoulder, and turned around. “You’re right. And that might be what Demi’s up to.” He pursed his lips. “Damn it, why didn’t he tell us?”

“He likes to take the glory.” Aero started walking faster. “Hey, wait up!” Echo said, following in a near run.

Aero stopped and turned to face Echo. “Go tell the Professor. I’ll go help Demi.”

“No! I’m stronger than you. _You_ go tell the professor.”

“Ugh, you’re such a brat! It doesn’t matter if you’re stronger, you’re eight years younger than me!”

“The Professor thinks I’m ready.” Echo crossed his arms resolutely. “I’m going with you. So let’s stop dilly dallying!”

Aero perked up at a voice. “It’s this way,” Demi whispered to someone.

Echo heard too and looked around. “Hey! Demi got away!” he started heading toward the voice. “Demi!” he called.

“Wait!” Aero said, grabbing Echo by the back of his shirt. He looked around.

“Why?”

“He was talking to someone.” Aero spotted him in the shadows—followed by the two intruders. “Huh?”

“What?”

“Let’s follow him,” Aero said, walking that direction.

“Well, yeah, we need to catch up.”

“No, we don’t.”

“Wait, you mean _spying_?”

“He’s up to something, I just know it.”

“He’s our brother! We trust him!”

“Just shut up and come on!”

“Okay, okay. I’ll lecture you later.”

Aero ignored the snide comment and led the way into the shadows.

Echo whispered when he saw—“Wait a minute, that’s—”

Aero covered his mouth and shook his head. Echo nodded, so Aero removed his hand.

They followed them down a familiar long hall—one where Aero and Demi would sneak through when they were young, leading only one place.

Aero walked faster and caught up, Echo right behind him. “You’re taking them to Sora?!?”

Demi flinched. “Hey Aero.”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Aero asked in a harsh whisper. “You don’t know what they’ll do!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Aero heard a ‘ching’ noise and looked back. “Echo, can you put that stupid new Keyblade away inside? You don’t want to break anything.”

“They’ve got theirs!”

Demi sighed. “Listen, I’ve got a plan. Just…let me take them to Sora. The Professor shouldn’t be there right now.”

“The Professor?!? You aren’t telling the Professor?!?” Aero threw his hands in the air in exasperation. “Listen, Demi—”

“He’s our brother—the oldest,” Echo said, sending away the Keyblade. “We trust him. Always.”

Aero took a deep breath. “Echo this is not—”

“We trust each other! Not the Professor, not anyone else here. Each other!” Echo argued. “We promised.”

Aero sighed. Echo had such a childish look at the world. Black and white, absolutes… “Fine,” Aero said after a moment. “But we’re coming too.”

“Of course we are!” Echo agreed.

Demi shook his head. He had been silent the entire time. “Thanks, Echo.” He started walking again. “We’re almost there.”

A little further down the hall, they came to a door. Demi put his hand to the sensor lock, and the door slid open. “Hurry in.”

They all hurried in.

Riku’s face fell when he saw Sora hovering in the tube. “Sora…what have they done?”

Kairi covered her mouth with her hand and walked up to it. “How do we get him out?”

“I don’t know,” Demi said. “But—”

“I followed Echo’s tracker. The data said he summoned a Keyblade.” The professor’s familiar voice came from the doorway. “I had to find out how. But…I didn’t expect this out of the three of you.” Her voice was stern.

“Professor!” Aero said.

Demi shook his head. “It was all me, not them!” he said.

The professor grabbed Echo’s arm—Aero hadn’t noticed Echo stood behind to watch—

“Hey!” Echo said. “That hurts.”

“Summon it,” she ordered.

“Why?”

“Do it.”

Echo looked back at Demi and Aero, who looked at each other before looking back. “Why?” Aero asked.

“Ugh.” The professor moved her hand to the back of Echo’s neck and raised him slighting into the air. “Do as I say!”

“Professor, stop, that hurts!” Echo said.

“Professor!” Demi said in shock.

“Do it, or I’ll make you.”

“Professor, no!” Echo said as the professor threw him onto a platform on top of a computer. An electric chain wrapped around his arm. “Profess—Mom! Stop it!”

The professor’s face faltered at the name, long enough for Demi to try to tackle her to the ground. He was knocked back by a wave of energy—artificial magic that controlled this room.

“Stop it!” Aero cried. He heard a ‘ching’ of a Keyblade. He looked back.

“Let him go!” Kairi shouted.

“More Keyblades?” The professor said, shaking her head, looking giddy. “Perfect.”

Demi stood up and brushed himself off. “Let Echo go,” he growled.

“So you’ve all turned against me,” she said. “No matter.”

“I said, let me go!” Echo shrieked, and in a burst of light, the room disappeared from around them; below was deadlands and above was only sky—and a moon shaped like a heart.

“Yes. Yes!” The professor stared up at it, her face alight like she had seen heaven. “Kingdom Hearts was in Echo all along! I knew if I perfectly copied Sora—”

“What the hell is going on?” A new voice—and a face Aero had seen once before, appeared on the scene.

“Roxas!” Riku said.

“The others are right behind me…but…”

(Demi)

“What did you do to him?” Aero wailed from where he stood. Demi looked over. Above Echo floated a star like light—a heart…Aero collapsed to his knees next to Echo, sobbing. “What did you do to my baby brother?”

In Echo’s hand was the Keyblade. Demi walked over, looked down at Echo for a moment, before grabbing the sword.

“Ah, thank you, Demi, I need that…” the professor muttered. “I knew you were a good boy…”

“Burn in hell,” Demi said, focusing a certain spell into the blade.

“Huh?” the professor lifted her head to face him just in time for Demi to see the shock in her eyes as the spell hit, amplified by the Keyblade. In a burst of light, she shattered into what looked like water—just like the creatures he had been forced to experiment on.

Demi dropped the Keyblade and numbly returned to Echo’s side as the heart slowly began to rise. Demi reached out his hands and tried to grab it, but it slipped through his fingers. “How do you return a heart?” He turned to the invaders, who were staring up at the moon in disbelief. “Hey! How do you return a heart?” he screamed at them.

Kairi spotted the heart floating up toward the moon. She pointed her Keyblade at it and interlaced it in chains to stop it from rising any further. “What happened?” she asked, hurrying over.

“The professor said he was Kingdom Hearts—whatever that means. And now he’s like this. Not dead, but not alive…like Sora.”

“…Riku, do you think—”

“That this ‘Professor’ took Sora’s heart?”

Kairi put her hand to her chest. “I feel him…”

“Shut up! Help Echo now!” Demi demanded. “We aren’t even with your ‘Sora’ anymore. Help Echo and get us out of here.”

“There has to be a connection,” a blue haired woman that Demi had yet to meet said. “Something to draw it back…”

“We’re his brothers. What more of a connection could there be?” Demi snapped.

Aero stood up. “Sora.”

“Huh?”

“We came from Sora. Wake up Sora, and maybe Echo wakes up too.”

“What are we waiting for?”

Kingdom Hearts was sealed yet again, and they returned to the room that held Sora. The magical energy was fried, leaving the room lightless and smoky. Demi raised a hand and cast a spell to light up the room.

Sora still hovered in the tube. Riku pointed his Keyblade at it, and the glass disappeared, the lock unsealed. He went in and grabbed Sora.

“He never changes, does he?” he asked.

“He’s got my sleeping record beat,” the one who had been introduced as Ventus commented.

“How do we wake him?” Kairi asked. “I mean, I thought Sora was the only one with the power of waking…”

“I can wake Sora,” Riku replied. “But only him. And only if his heart is there.”

“His heart’s with me…”

Some debate later, Sora’s heart was returned, and Demi saw Echo’s heart floating back.

Sora sat up with a start. “What the hell happened?”

Demi paid no attention and instead walked back over to Echo and Aero. The heart returned to Echo, and Echo slowly opened his eyes.

“Huh?” Echo asked, slowly sitting up. “What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Aero said, pulling him up into the air and hugging him.

Demi wrapped his arms around both of them but said nothing for a minute. “This was my fault.”

“No it wasn’t,” Aero said, setting Echo down and them all stepping away. “Echo summoned a Keyblade. It was only a matter of time.”

“Huh?”

“We’ll explain later.”

Demi sighed and looked away before turning to look at the reunion happening nearby. The room was quite crowded. Sora was awake, Kingdom Hearts sealed, Echo’s heart returned…all was well.

(Epilogue)

The three brothers left their world behind—it wasn’t safe for them there, professor alive or not. They’d be disposed of for the murder if nothing else.

But it wasn’t so bad. They were at a school in a place called The Land of Departure. Echo was training with his Keyblade, and Aero and Demi were simply around to watch him and do some random jobs as needed around town until they could find more permanent things.

They were free.


End file.
